060416 - Late
CAT RIGHT NOW opened memo on board LOQAQ. CAT: Aaisha is settled with her back to a wall, back in her fuchsia dress and head plopped down on her knees. CURRENT gallavantingGuardsman CGG RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGG: Serios wakes up with a great burst... He looks around in a hurry looking for something or someone... CGG: He stops with his paranoid looking around when he sees Aaisha sitting down like that... "Is.... Well. No. I. Do. Not. Suppose. You. Feel. Things. Are. Alright.... I. Am. Sorry. Miss. Aaisha...." CURRENT allodicTemperament CAT RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CAT: Lorrea steps through a portal, muttering to herself, and brushing off the sleeves of her uniform. Wasn't she the -first- one through? CAT: Her ear fins twitch and Aaisha looks up, her expression surprisingly neutral for such fuchsia rimmed eyes. "No it's fine we need to ta- Lorrea?" CAT: Instantly she's on her feet and striding over to the jadeblood. CAT: "Lorrea, lorreawherewereyou." CAT: "Eighty seven perrcent my ass." CGG: "Wait... What. The...? You. Two. Did. Not. Come. Back. At. The. Same. Time?" CAT: "She misplllaced me." Lorrea cross her arms, huffing. CAT: Aaisha reaches out her hands to gently place them on Lorrea's shoulder, in one hand is still Scarlet's unopened letter. CAT: "Where." CAT: Lorrea gestures vaguely upwards. "Farr enough off-tarrget that it took a bit to get herr to actualllly put me wherrre I SHOULLLD have gone." CAT: "Sorrry." CGG: "....I. Suppose. She. Will. Have. Used. That. As. The. Reason. To. Have. Entered. The. Portal. After. You. Two...." CAT: "Did she?" CGG: Serios gives a frustrated sigh.... "Yes...." CAT: She moves her arms back and crosses them across her chest, shakily frowning and fighting to keep her expression clear. CAT: Lorrea is going to move to hug Aaisha, disregarding the letter, for the moment. CGG: "There. Is. More. To. Speak. Of. Miss. Imogen. But. Perhaps. It. Is. Best. To. Have. Things. Settle. For. A. Moment...." CAT: "Wellll, she isn't herre, so it prrobabllly lled herr somewherrre ellse, llike it did forr me." CAT: Aaisha snakes an arm around Lorrea's shoulders, clutching as gently as her tense fingers would allow. CAT: "Aaisha, do you need to talllk?" Lorrea's voice is a bit lower. CAT: "No, I'll be fine," Aaisha smiles down at the jadeblood, "I'm just glad you're back." CAT: "So did... Imogen get herself lost then?" CGG: "I. Do. Not. Believe. So...." CAT: "Not llost enough to miss the fact that she missed the fucking pllanet." CAT: Aaisha laughs, though it sounds a bit forced. CAT: "Aaisha, I'm herrre." CAT: "We can talllk." CAT: She only smiles and then looks to Serios, "Would you prefer a chat now or a bit later?" CAT: Lorrea stares intently at Aaisha, squinting slightly. CGG: "If. You. Are. Alright. With. Chatting. Then. Yes. Now. Would. Be. Good.... But. I. Am. Concerned. If. You. Really. Are. Alright. Right. Now...." CAT: "As am I." CAT: Aaisha doesn't look back to Lorrea, but she nods to Serios. "I'll be fine." CAT: Lorrea grumbles, and tightens her hug on Aaisha, a bit. CGG: "Right.... So.... While. It. May. Not. Be. On. The. Forefront. Of. Your. Mind.... I. Would. Like. To. Apologise. For. How. Everything. Began.... I. Was. Not. Told. Anything. About. Questions.... Or. Cameras...." CAT: She holds up a hand, smiling gently. "It's quite alright Serios. That was the Oracle's right, you don't need to apologize for it." CAT: "She was fllaunting authorrrity." CAT: Her head tilts slightly in Lorrea's direction in agreement. CGG: Serios reluctantly also nods and sighs.... "It. Still. Struck. Me. As. Inappropriate. Though...." CAT: "She is a ruler in her own right, everything that happened was entirely within her rights." CAT: "Which! Is part of what I would like to speak to you about." CGG: "Oh? I.... If. This. Is. About. Me. Entering. As. Part. Of. Miss. Libby's. Entourage.... I. Had. Simply. Thought. It. Best. For. Everyone.... That. It. May. Put. Her. In. A. Better. Mood. Before. Proceedings. To. Listen...." CAT: Aaisha nods, her grip tghtening on Lorrea's shoulder before loosening though her face remained calm and the smile was still in place. CAT: Lorrea's hug tightens further, for a moment, in acknowledgement. CAT: "You shouldn't be forced to choose, and so. Serios Calier I'm releasing you from your duties to me. You are no longer called to be the personal guard for Aaisha Irquen, Alternia's Empress." CGG: "W...WHAT!?" CAT: Lorrea winces. CAT: She doesn't flinch just simply nods. CAT: "You are Libby's matesprit, the Oracle's Consort. It would be unfair to you and rude of me to keep any claim on you any longer." CAT: "Your duty is to her now." CGG: The blood for Serios's face drains a bit... "Is... Is. There. Something. More. To. This!? Did.... Did. She. Say. Something?" CAT: "No Serios, this is a decision I came to myself." CGG: "I... I. Know. I. Have. Not. Been. The. Best. Of. Guards. To. You... I. Mean...." CAT: "You have been an excellent guard and an excellent friend," her voice has gone quiet, gentle and she reaches out a hand to place it on his cheek if he's close enough. CAT: "I am truly grateful for the sweeps you were with me. But it's time for me to let go, I will not force you to choose between her and I." CGG: "I... I.... Appreciate. What. It. Is. You. Are. Trying. To. Do. For. Me.... But.... I...." CAT: "Serios.. what would you do if it came down to her or I. If you could only help one of us." CAT: Lorrea remains quiet, for the moment, her gaze avoiding Serios. CGG: Serios is stunned by the question.... "I... This. Is. Not. A. Situation. That. Exists... And. There. Have.... Been. Plenty. Of. Guards. With. Outside. Loves.... I. Mean... There. Was..." Serios seems to be frantically thinking of stores.... "Well... No. That. One. Ended.... Quite. Badly.... Well... Perhaps...." CAT: Her smile turns a little sad, and she rubs her thumb across his cheek before pulling it away. "She isn't just an outside love Serios, she's the Oracle. And you are her Consort. I would expect nothing less from you but utmost loyalty to her." CAT: "... This doesn't sound llike you, Aaisha." CAT: "Mm, doesn't it?" CAT: "No. What happened?" CAT: "Nothing happened," Aaisha pulls away from Lorrea. "It's just a decision I came to." CAT: "... Okay." CGG: Serios has his head cast downward. "....Even... Even. If. I. Have. No. Title.... No. Drawn. Duty.... I. Am. Not. Just. Going. To. Simply. Stop. Trying. To. Protect. You.... You. Are. My. Friend. Miss. Aaisha...." CAT: "I'm grateful for that, but you do have a title and you do have a duty," her voice is still gentle but there's just a slight tremor to it, "That duty is to Libby now, okay?" CAT: "That isn't what he's saying, and you know it." CAT: Aaisha blinks, looking in Lorrea's direction she's obviously confused. "I'm not sure..?" CAT: "There's duty and therre's respecting the peopllle who have trreated you welll. Neitherr I norr him need a titllle to stand up forr you. That isn't why we carre." CAT: Lorrea looks to Serios, for confirmation. CGG: "Protecting. A. Friend. Is. Not. A. Duty... I. Will. Abide. By. Your. Final. Order.... But. I. Will. Never. Stop. Trying. To. Help. You...." CGG: He looks up and gives a nod to Lorrea and then looks to Aaisha.... CAT: She shakes her head, "I wasn't trying to imply you shouldn't help me just.. ohgosh - I was just trying to point out..." A hand goes up to cup her face, the mask wavering, "Just.. That you don't have to worry about your duty to me anymore." CAT: "As Emprress, you absolllve him of duty. Not as Aaisha. Right?" CAT: Aaisha nods. CGG: A sad smile shows on Serios face for a moment... "Of. Course.... I. Am. Sorry. For. Any. Trouble. Reaching. And. Announcing. This. Desicion. May. Have. Caused...." CAT: She shakes her head, "There wasn't any trouble, I was just too stubborn to make it earlier." CAT: Lorrea's arms finally sort of drift downwards to her sides. CAT: Aaisha laughs lowly, "I was an idiot to even consider I could be her kismesis." CAT: "... Because she doesn't underrrrstand the quadrrrant?" CGG: "You. Were. Not. An. Idiot. For. Such. Thoughts...." CAT: "No, because I can't match up to her." CAT: "You're lletting herr get to you, then." Lorrea's voice is low. CGG: "Miss. Aaisha. Your. Journey.... Everything. Of. Who. You. Are. Is. Still. Just. Beginning...." CAT: "I'm not letting her get to me it's the truth," Aaisha backs up, her expression carefully neutral. "My journal started a long time ago and I really don't see any progress." CAT: "There's too much of a gap, I can't cross that." CAT: "Why not? What's stopping you?" CAT: "Immorrtalllity is a STAPLLLE of the game, and you woullld llive forrr ages even WITHOUT it. You have time." CAT: "It's not lllike herrr powerrr is absolllutellly unattainabllle. She get to wherrre she is within the context of the game. Why can't you?" CGG: "That. Aside.... You. Do. Not. See. The. Progress. Only. Because. There. Are. No. Set. Distance. Markers.... Despite. What. You. Think. You. Have. Grown. Stronger. In. These. Last. Few. Months..." CAT: "I would live for ages, but she already has knowledge far ahead of me. I can't even lay a claim to my culture without her permission," Aaisha is slowly starting to shake her head and backing away. "I don't feel stronger. I don't feel stronger at all." CAT: Lorreas hands ball up into fists at her sides. CAT: "You're allways measurrring yourrsellf up to herr." CAT: "Is she an emprress, to you? Does she have some concrrete domain, some lliving subjects that I'm missing?" CAT: "Is THAT what this is?" CAT: "This whole place is her domain," her voice cracks, a little harsh and she's blinking fast. CAT: "No." CAT: "It is no one's domain." CAT: "It operrates on its own rullles." CAT: "And you're one of the peopllle who can WRRITE those rullles." CAT: "Yea because those rules worked great for you and Nyarla didn't they." CAT: "The only reason Eribus is still in the Archives instead of me," CAT: "Is because they managed to convince me the somehow an Empress is still needed when she's NOT" CAT: "do you reallllllly belllieve that, aaisha." CAT: "What Empire am I ruling Lorrea," her fingers are tapping quickly against her cheek, "Alternia is ashes, and this is a new beginning. A fuchsia isn't needed to rule." CAT: "Have you forrgotten everrything that I've said?" CAT: "I can't speak forrr anyone ELLSE, but I don't supporrt you as emprrress because of yourr BLLOOD." CAT: "I supporrrt you because I think you're the one that THEY'RE going to need." CAT: "Maybe not fucking NOW, but when we get thrrough allll of this BULLLSHIT." CAT: She's quiet, lips trembling before she answers, "What have I done that makes you think that. That I have /any/ worth as a leader." CAT: "It isn't what you've DONE. It's who you ARRE." CAT: "It's who you willll be." CAT: "Do you trrust my judgement, Aaisha." CAT: "Pllease." CAT: Lorrea frowns. CAT: Her lips thin. "I... im trying." CAT: "You arrren't alllowed to give up, Aaisha." CAT: "You're not." CAT: Lorrea looks down at the ground. CAT: She crosses her arms, grumbling something inaudible, even to Aaisha's hearing. CAT: Aaisha looks away, frowning into her hand. She's hunching, as if it's hard for her to keep standing. CAT: "i'm sorrrry." CAT: "I'lll- I'llll be overrr herrre." Lorrea takes a step back, glancing up at Aaisha, before turning and rather quickly moving to a darker corner of the cavern. CAT: "it's- not, its not your fault..." her voice trails away as she watches Lorrea move away. CAT: Lorrea wraps her arms about herself, as she moves away. CAT: After a moment, Aaisha follows Lorrea just as quickly and if she can she's going to pull the jadeblood into a hug. CAT: Lorrea doesn't seem to register that she was being followed, and so the hug is uninhibited. Lorrea seems a bit startled by this, and brushes some hair out of her face with her sleeve. Across her face, and all. Obviously. CGG: Serios stands stoicly as he sees Aaisha rush to hug Lorrea... Softly, out of their earshot, he says, "And. That. Is. How. She. And. I. Both. Know. You. Will. Be. Needed.... You. Understand. The. Pains. Of. Others. Better. Than. Anyone. I. Know...." CAT: "im sorry lorrea." CAT: "forrrr what?" CAT: "..everything." CAT: "it's okay, aaisha. just neverr forrget how imporrtant you arre, to alll of us. not as emprress. as you." CAT: "don't you fucking darre forrget that." CAT: "okay.." CAT: "that's why you can't give up." CAT: "..." CAT: "especiallly if something happens to me, allrright?" CAT: "give me a prromise." CAT: Her grip tightens. "Nothing is going to happen to you.." CAT: "we don't know that forrr surre, aaisha." CAT: "if something happens, i need yourr prromise." CAT: "Lorrea," her voice is tight, firm, "nothing is going to happen to you. That I can promise." CAT: Lorrea goes quiet, and doesn't object. CAT: "you're not leaving me..." CAT: "then you can't give up on yourrsellf, eitherr." CAT: "i know i won't." CAT: "okay" CAT: "prromise?" CAT: "yes" Category:Aaisha Category:Lorrea Category:Serios